Drug Storage Gaps Assessment and Reforms

The Californian Code of Regulations policy on medication storage indicates that medications must be stored in safe containers avoiding cracked, soiled or containers with unsecured closures (California Code of Regulations, n. d. The storage of medication ought to be done so in well-labeled containers and that the dispenser has the responsibility of labeling. The storage of medication according to the policy should be segregated with medications for external use stored separately from medications for internal usage (California Code of Regulations, n. d. The toolkit enables one to identify the barriers to implementation and gauge the ability to implement the interventions to remedy the gaps identified. Best Practice Strategies How Your Practices Differ from Best Practice/policy Barriers to Best Practice Implementation Will Implement Best Practice (Yes/No; why not?) Drugs must be stored in labeled containers in safe and secure storage limited access to authorized persons and well segregated.

 -The pharmacist (dispensing person) must label medications before dispensing them to the ward.  There is no pharmacy in the urgent care site, medical assistants restock the storage bins no quality assurance on the labeling of the medications.  Unavailability of a pharmacy at the high-acuity site. Medications should have segregated areas on the storage to separate the medications per dosages, usage.  Medications are all lumped up with no effective segregation. Medications are mixed for different high acuity conditions such as myocardial infarctions and anaphylactic shock. No oversight of the medication storage, there are no available pharmaceutical technologists at the storage site, bin storage system does not effectively segregate the medication as per the policy. Yes. Shortages can lead to patient missing their dosages leading to poor outcomes.

Overstocking of medications in the unit can also be potentially harmful as expired medications may remain in stock and can be erroneously administered to patients causing adverse drug events or poor outcomes due to low potency. The overall of poor medication storage may be poor client satisfaction due to poor patient outcomes, reduced confidence in the healthcare delivery at the site which is occasioned by increased negative patient and family members reviews of the care site (Andersson & Lindgren, 2012). The organization similarly may suffer due to the poor drug storage at the site. One of the most obvious repercussions of the poor medication storage is poor patient outcomes. The initial step to resolving the storage and dispensing issue at the clinic will be to establish a link between the high site unit to the main clinic pharmacy through an electronic/computerized system.

The adoption of a computerized e-prescribing system will be in compliance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) that encourages the adaptation of technology in care delivery (Washington, DeSalvo, Mostashari & Blumenthal, 2017). The clinic will establish a medication dispensing and storage system that will be based on a computerized/electronic system. The computerized/electronic system will be structured so as to link the pharmacy at the unit with the ward. The linkage between the pharmacy and the ward will aim to reduce the errors and inventory procedures as well as ensure an up-to-date stocking leave at the ward for all the medications needed. References Andersson, I. , & Lindgren, M. Perceptions of nursing care quality, in acute hospital settings measured by the Karen instruments.